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The sun was beginning to set, and the jungle started to become dark. However, Shintiro was able to see it. There was no mistaking what was in front of him. It steps out into the clearing in front of him with no hesitation. It steps over his dagger that was just laying on the floor. It was the golden mutated jaguar, the guardian of the jungle.
As the sun began to set, the jungle became shrouded in darkness. Shintiro had no doubts about what creature was in front of his eyes. There was no mistaking it. Its massive stature was intimidating. His eyes widened looking over at his dagger on the ground. He wanted to desperately make a move for it, but he was frozen in place. He’s never seen a creature of that kind before roaming around the dense jungle. The air was tense, he had nowhere to go. His only option would be to jump straight into the dark river to escape. It was too risky. The first time in the river almost cost him his life.
The jaguar invoked in him fear yet he was awestruck by its massive size. Its six eyes locked with his. He felt as if the creature could see right through him. Shintiro felt as if it could read his every thought. It didn’t make a sound then slowly it began to grunt and make deep non-aggressive purring noises. His hands began to shake. Shintiro couldn’t control his body. It was as if he was a different person, he couldn’t speak and not even the thought of escaping was on his mind.
A drop of sweat rolled down his face, his heart pounding uncontrollably in his chest as he remained completely spellbound by the creature’s presence. Shintiro knew he had to act quickly, or he would be stuck in this trance forever. He took a deep breath, his concentration transitioning from the creature to the dagger on the ground. He noticed the jaguar was making its way toward the river. Now it was his chance to drag his body away from it and move closer to his dagger left on the ground. With all his willpower, trying to break free of his trance, he maneuvers his body on the ground, toward the dagger. He dares not take his focus off the jaguar, as he reaches for the dagger. At first, all he can feel behind him are stones and pebbles. He shifts his reach slightly, trying not to lose sight of the creature, and manages to touch the tip of the blade. When he feels the blade with his fingertips, he fully snaps out of his trance.
He makes his move and grabs his dagger and holds it tight, positioning it in front of his body towards the creature. The jaguar does not even flinch, it turns its view away from Shintiro, lowers its head, and takes a drink of water from the river.
Shintiro’s hand shakes as he lowers the blade, realizing that the creature isn’t a threat. A green light can be seen reflecting on the jaguar’s face. Shintiro squints his eyes and tilts his head in confusion. “Where is this green light coming from?” He thinks to himself while his hands still shake uncontrollably.
Shintiro watches the jaguar intently, his body tensed and ready to strike if necessary. He holds his dagger tightly, waiting for any sign of aggression from the fearsome creature. However, the jaguar doesn't seem to be interested in him at all. Instead, the beast calmly takes another quick drink from the river, looking straight at the river itself, no longer making eye contact with Shintiro. It lifts its massive head, turns in the opposite direction, and slowly disappears into the dense jungle.
Shintiro lets out a deep sigh of relief, relaxing his grip on the dagger. He takes a moment to calm himself down, reflecting on the encounter. Despite his initial fear, he can't help but feel a sense of awe and respect for the majestic jaguar. He realizes that maybe there's more to this jungle than he thought.
Shintiro realizes something while he tries to catch his breath. The green light. It’s becoming more intense. Shintiro quickly makes his way toward the area where the jaguar drank some water on the riverbank. On his knees, he maneuvers his body forward, still in shock and with adrenaline pumping through his veins. His heart was pounding the moment he focused his gaze on the river. He could see his reflection in the river. The green light distorts his reflection in the water.
He sees once again visions of his village in flames like the dream he had before. He falls into another trance as he looks deep into the river glowing with an odd green light. He sees destruction and villagers screaming. He sees the apes killing his people and Luntra the tribal woman staring menacingly at him. “The Guardian Stones will only lead to destruction.” her words sent shivers down his spine.Her words echo in his mind, and he attempts to cover his ears. He drops his dagger on the ground trying to block Luntra’s words. It was as if she was right there speaking to him. “Get out of my head!” Shintiro closes his eyes shut as he suddenly stops hearing her words. He was not able to hear the sounds of the jungle nor the familiar sounds of the raging river. It was an odd eerie silence in his mind. He opens his eyes. To his surprise, his green Guardian Stone slowly floats out of the river. An odd sound resonates from it. The light from the stone glows brightly. It was the only light Shintiro could see. The jungle was pitch black at this point due to the setting of the sun.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZXGDuAH4ug
He wipes the sweat drops from his forehead. He was in disbelief as to what was happening in front of him. The green Guardian Stone was in the same spot that the jaguar creature was staring at when it took its sips of water. The stone makes its way toward him, glowing ominously. Unable to process what was happening in front of him, his hands shook uncontrollably. He hesitates at first, yet he reaches out to grab the stone in midair. The stone felt cold to the touch. Shintiro could feel the power emanating from the stone in his hand.191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWvb5gBepXi
The feeling of holding the stone was invigorating. As soon as Shintiro touches the stone all the sounds of the jungle and the river come flowing back into his ears. The light dims and finally dissipates from the stone. Shintiro was left in the dark. The stars and the moon are the only objects lighting the night sky. He finally felt like things were going his way. With the stone finally once again in his possession, he felt no fear and disappointment, only strength and power.
Suddenly, he hears rustling in the bushes nearby. Shintiro quickly turns around, grabs his dagger, and raises it in preparation for an attack. His heart races as he scans the area, trying to spot the origin of the noise.
Just as he's about to strike, he stops short, recognizing the familiar face. It was his green raptor. “It’s… you.” He drops the dagger. He gasps realizing that his bond with his raptor has returned.
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzDLWSXySuk
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU11AHYSfst
When you close the door to your private quarters, you turn to Inkagi. You can see he was observing the large room that you were both going to share for the night. Soon after, you notice him looking at the large window area. “Come on, this is our chance. We can finally get out of this place through here.” Inkagi signals for you to come over. As you approach him you tell him the truth. He turns to you, seeing you with a concerned look on your face.
“Inkagi, I’ve been thinking about this long and hard,” Inkagi listens to you. You had a concerned tone in your voice. “Even though King Soren now trusts us, it wouldn’t be wise to just run away. His people need us. And Karaee, who helped us out to gain his trust, would be devastated if we just disappeared.”
“I understand the difficult decision you are about to make…” Inkagi pauses knowing that Alaska is out in the jungle possibly, hurt, alone, and hungry. You also think of the same thing. It pains you to have to make a decision that will be with you for the rest of your life. Both situations are a matter of life or death. You thought of Alaska possibly alone in the jungle, starving to death. And then on the other hand you think of the many apes in the village, including Karaee’s little brother Aruvi with Zonda. They will die soon if you don’t head off on this expedition and return with the cure. Inkagi interrupts your thoughts. “Too much time has passed by. It is possible that…”
“Don’t say it.” You didn’t need to hear it from Inkagi. You already knew that Alaska might have been dead. That night you decide to put it in the back of your mind. You both did the best you could with the situation that was presented in front of you.
“If Alaska was in your position, I’m sure she would decide to do the honorable thing”. You nod as tears roll down your face as Inkagi steps forward and hugs you. There was nothing left to say.
The next morning, after having a grand meal with King Soren, Queen Janaa, and Princess Karaee, you and Inkagi step outside the palace to see military Commander Zard preparing materials and all things necessary for the long trip to the treacherous volcano Yertonu.
Commander Zard was a no-nonsense ape. He was the right ape for the job. He wanted to make sure that everything was ready and prepared for the mission. He had a checklist made. Everything he needed for the journey was written out on an old-looking scroll. He gave orders to servants and other military apes to gather the necessary tools and weapons needed.
You and Inkagi approached the commander to inquire about the mission and offer your assistance. You didn’t want to be a dead weight on the journey. As soon as you and Inkagi offer your help, a few of the apes stop what they are doing to stare. They look at you, some menacingly, others have no care in the world and continue with their tasks. Commander Zard just looked at you, in an intimidating fashion. He did not trust humans but he had nothing against you and Inkagi. Still, he wanted little or nothing to do with either of you.
“Apes are taking care of all the essential things for this mission. There is no need or room for humans...” You wanted to say something in defense, but you felt tension growing realizing that not everyone in the village liked humans. A military ape that was walking by brushes up against you and nudged you forward aggressively. You look back and make eye contact with the ape. He looks at you in disgust. “Ohee-lum…” He whispers that under his breath as he walks away casually.
“Commander Zard, I hope you may reconsider,” Karaee suddenly approached the commander with a smile on her face, her head held high. A female royal bodyguard follows her at a distance. “These humans are quite capable of a lot.” You notice Karaee’s sword fastened to her belt around her waist.
Commander Zard and every other ape there stop what they are doing and bow to the princess. You and Inkagi do the same. Suddenly when the apes stand up, they raise their fists in the air. “Yai-Nu Yai-Nu!” They all chanted in unison in response to the arrival of the young princess.
“Oh, Princess Karaee, I did not see you there,” Commander Zard clears his throat, gulps, and fixes his posture. “My apologies princess for the rude comment I made. I did not mean any ill will of it. I was just stating that we are already prepared and have enough help as it is with everything.” Commander Zard faces you and Inkagi and continues. “I will let you both know if later we can use your assistance. Thank you for your willing spirit on this important mission.” Commander Zard turns his head, someone catches his attention. You, Inkagi, and Karaee notice it too. A young muscular ape approaches Karaee mounted on a strange bird-like ostrich-sized creature. “Ah, this is my second in command Tyenx. A strong, courageous, and honorable ape.” As Commander Zard was speaking, Tyenx rides the ostrich-sized bird with his head held high. An arrogant smile is on his face as he makes a flirtatious gesture and grunts in an ape-like manner to Karaee. With his ostrich-like bird, he rides in quickly kicking up dust in the air. The dust floats into Karaee’s face. Karaee just looks away uninterested in his advances.
You and Inkagi couldn't help but feel uneasy when Tyenx dismounted from his ostrich-sized creature. You scratch your head in confusion wondering what exactly that strange bird was. Tyenx gives you and Inkagi a dirty look and then pays you no mind. Tyenx immediately bowed down to Karaee and outstretched his left hand. Karaee didn’t even pay him any attention. He became irritated with her response. He was waiting for her to touch his hand and acknowledge his presence. He stands up and dusts himself off.
“It is a pleasure to see you today, Princess Karaee,” Tyenx said in an arrogant soft spoken gentle manner.
“Tyenx, I was speaking to Commander Zard,” Karaee sighs in frustration. “It’s rude to interrupt a royal, especially when we are preparing for a critical mission.” Karaee made no eye contact with him. She made it clear that she wanted nothing to do with him.
“How long have we known each other Karaee?”
Karaee sighs, “Not long enough.”
Tyenx embarrassed by her response gives out a nervous chuckle. “M-my apologies, I just wanted to let you know that I’ve made all the necessary preparations for this mission to be successful. I know how much this mission means to you. I – I was just rushing over to you to let you know that you can count on me to protect you.” As Tyenx spoke with Karaee, you couldn’t help but notice how odd it was the way he was talking to her. It felt to you that his demeanor was fake. Nothing about him felt genuine.
Commander Zard interrupts Tyenx. He coughs and says, “I’m sorry Tyenx you are not needed for this mission.”
“Wait, what?” Tyenx turns to look at Commander Zard completely shocked at the decision. His smile turns to complete confusion. Karaee smiles. “Who made this decision? There must be a mistake. I need to be by Princess Karaee’s side and protect her.”
“I do not need your protection Tyenx.” Karaee sighs again and looks up at the sky. She crosses her arms and stomps her foot frustrated with his comment.
Tyenx takes offense at Karaee's brush-off, and his demeanor suddenly changes from charming to threatening. His eyes flash with anger. He lowers his voice so that only she can hear it, “I do not appreciate being ignored, Karaee," he growls. "You will address me with the respect I deserve. I am your second in command after all.”
Karaee's face twists into a scowl as she meets his gaze. "You are nothing to me," she says, her voice cold and flat.
Tyenx looked over in your direction. “So, you’re counting on these humans to be of some help, huh? Th-These humans? The ohee-lum?”
Karaee was furious and looked him in the eyes. “Stop being rude to our honorable guests.” You wanted to march over there and defend yourself, but you didn’t want to start something. It was obvious that not a lot of the apes in the village were on your side.
Tyenx laughs, “Honorable? You must be kidding me…”
"I do not need you.” Karaee interrupts him and steps forward. She starts pushing her index finger onto his chest forcing him to step back. “Stop wasting our time. You’re more concerned with pleasing yourself than helping us find the Helx flower. You heard what Commander Zard said. You are not needed for this mission.”
Despite her harsh words, Tyenx has no choice but to retreat, his ego bruised, and his pride wounded. He steps back as Commander Zard responds with a stern tone, “Tyenx, you are capable and strong. The village needs someone to stay here and protect our people. I’ve placed you in charge of that. I have already made my decision.”
Tyenx’s face turns red with anger. He looks at Karaee for support, but she avoids his gaze. You and Inkagi exchange glances relieved that Tyenx will not be coming along on the mission. However, you both couldn't shake off the feeling that something was odd about Tyenx's behavior.
He takes a deep breath in frustration, turns away, mounted his ostrich-like bird, and rode off into the distance. Karaee watches him go, her lip trembling for a moment before she quickly regains her composure. She turns to Commander Zard, you, and Inkagi, her eyes determined.
“Now excuse me, I need to make an inventory check.” The commander bows once more to Karaee and with the scroll in hand walks away embarrassed for the way Tyenx acted. All the other apes preparing just stare after that odd incident with Tyenx. Karaee takes notice.
To get everyone to focus again she raises her voice. "Let us not let this distraction ruin our plans," she says, taking a deep breath. "We must focus on the task at hand! The Helx flower awaits us in the treacherous Yertonu volcano." After that, all the other apes continued with the preparations.
Karaee turns to you. “Hello…” Karaee spoke in a very soft and gentle voice. Karaee meets her gaze with yours and blushes immediately. A smile that she couldn’t remove from her face can be seen. She looked down at the ground trying to avoid eye contact with you. She was embarrassed, realizing how her demeanor suddenly shifted. She needed to be strong and assertive for her people but at the same time, she was trying to be gentle and approachable in front of you.
The moment she saw you outside near the military troops willing to help, Karaee's heart swelled with gratitude and admiration for you. She could see that you were fully committed and willing to embark on a perilous journey to find a cure for her brother's illness and for all her people affected by Zonda. The sight of you, braving the unknown for her sake, left her feeling overcome with emotions that she never knew she could have, a newfound sense of purpose and love.
You could feel your face heating up in embarrassment. You knew Karaee was obsessed with humans. But you began noticing she was taking a liking to you specifically. You weren't sure how to respond to Karaee's infatuation. You stuttered, trying to find the right words to say, but nothing came out. You notice her outfit. It was very different from the elegant garments you saw last night. She was ready to go on a long journey into the jungle. She turns to face the royal bodyguard that was following her. “Tiimah, please, it is unnecessary for you to follow me.”
“My apologies Princess Karaee but I was instructed by King Soren himself to stay close and monitor you, for your safety of course.”
“You may return to my father Tiimah and inform him that it is no longer necessary. Commander Zard is now responsible for my safety. He is a very capable commander. You are dismissed.”
“Ye-Yes, your Majesty.” Tiimah takes a step back and bows to the princess. He makes his way back toward the palace.
“I said to my father I sense something special in both of you,” Karaee turns to you and Inkagi. “I meant every last word of it. It’s the truth. If we find the Helx flower and my brother is cured, I will be forever in your debt.” Karaee bows to you and Inkagi, she almost tears up at the thought of her brother finally becoming well again. But she holds her composure and fights the tears back.
After a long while of preparations, Commander Zard and eight other army troops were ready to head out. They mounted the bird-like ostrich-sized creature to ride for the journey. “What are those things?” You figure these strange creatures are like horses. You and Inkagi, along with Karaee, were given your own.
Karaee gently pets the creature before mounting it. “Do not worry, these are our Valpians. They are well-trained. I’m sure you’ve ridden one before.”
You shake your head as you pet the head of the Valpian gently. Inkagi was hesitant at first, but he was able to mount one and ride it around. You attempted to climb on, but this was all a new experience for you. Karaee saw you struggle, she giggled and then decided to help you out. She was patient and took the time to show you how to ride your Valpian.
Karaee had a huge smile on her face while she watched you ride your Valpian. You fumble around as she giggles. It was extremely humorous to her. As Karaee teaches you how to ride the Valpian, a female ape from the village appears almost out of nowhere. The female ape collapses to the ground. She was completely distraught; tears fell from her face as other apes carried her dead husband away. She trembled on the ground, not knowing what to do. She shakes her head in disbelief. Karaee dismounts her Valpian to look. You could see the concerned look in her eyes. Her entire demeanor changed. A tear came down Karaee’s face. It was clear that the female ape’s husband died of Zonda.
Karaee is taken aback by the sudden appearance of the female ape and the loss of her husband. The sorrow on her face is clear, and you can feel the sadness weighing on her. Karaee steps forward, trying to comfort the female ape as she lies on the ground on her knees. The female ape screams in agony. The female ape holds on to her arms tightly as she watches the ape village men carry her husband away, his lifeless body in a thin hammock-like bag.
Karaee puts an arm around her, offering words of support and comfort. You see the concern and empathy in her eyes and the way she reaches out to the stranger in a moment of crisis. It's a touching moment that shows just how compassionate and kind Karaee can be. You knew at that moment that Karaee cared about her people, and it wasn’t just about finding a cure for her little brother.
Karaee walks back to you and Inkagi with a sorrowful face. She struggles to maintain her composure. “We must hurry and begin this journey. Our people do not have a lot of time left.” At that moment, you wanted to say something uplifting. But you couldn’t think of anything. You froze because you’ve never experienced a grim situation as sad as the one that Karaee is facing.
Once all the preparations were complete, King Soren and the Queen came out of the palace escorted by royal guards to make an important announcement. King Soren stood tall and proud in front of the gathered apes. He cleared his throat and began to speak. "Subjects of the Mizian Clan," he said, his voice carrying across the plaza. "Today we embark on a journey that will test the limits of our strength and our resolve. We set out to find a rare and precious flower, the Helx flower. It is known only to grow at the heart of the treacherous volcano, Yertonu. We all know this flower has the power to cure Zonda. It is a flower that is precious to our people."
Queen Janaa stepped forward; her voice soft but strong. "Our daughter Karaee has made it her responsibility to head out into the wilderness and find it along with our most trusted men. The humans, ... and Inkagi will also join them. They face an overwhelming number of uncertainties. But this is all to try and bring an end to our people’s suffering. M-my own son Prince Aruvi is also suffering. This… This debilitating illness must end…” Queen Janna paused for a second trying to keep her composure “…and we will stop at nothing to find this flower and cure everyone. And so, we send our bravest warriors on a quest to retrieve the Helx flower and bring it back to the Mizian Clan. I do not doubt that they will succeed in their mission, for they are the strongest and wisest. And so, we ask for your support as they embark on this perilous journey." King Soren looked at his queen and nodded. He holds her hand to comfort her.
The female royal bodyguard Tiimah returns with a frightened look on her face. She collapses on the ground and proceeds to bow to the royal family. Karaee notices and quickly responds to her sudden appearance. “Tiimah, I told you to tell my father you do not need to watch over me on this mission…” As Tiimah lifts her face, Karaee could see the distress in her eyes. She comes to realize that something was wrong.
“M-my apologies your Majesty, this has nothing to do with that. Y-your brother, Prince Aruvi, he is…” Tiimah was trying to catch her breath and speak all at the same time. Karaee did not give her a chance to finish.
“My brother?” Karaee’s hands and lips trembled. She quickly turns around, mounts her Valpian, and rushes to the palace. The king and queen and many others follow. The news regarding her brother was sudden and unexpected. As you and Inkagi make your way back to the palace you wonder if Prince Aruvi, Karaee’s little brother, is alright. 191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2lb5iVfarA
